Refrigerator-car



2 Sheets 'Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J.F.HANRAHAN.

REFRIGERATOR GAR.

Patented Nov.

n PETERS. Pholo-Lkhogmphlr. Wnlhinglofl. an

(No Moaei. -2' SheetsShe'et 2,

J11? "HANRAHAN. REFRIGERATOR GAR.- No. 392,204. Patented Nov. 6, 1888.

Ira/anion NIPETERS. Phmozuthogrzphar. Wuhinglm. D. C.

UNITED. STATES Fries.

PATENT REFRIGERATOR-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 392,204, dated November6, 1888.

Original application filed November 2, 1886, Serial No. 217,832. Dividedand this application filed February 5, 1887. Renewed September 27, 1888.Serial No. 286,604. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. HANRAHAN, of Ottawa, in the Province ofOntario and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Refrigerator- Oars, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to refrigeration and purification of'air in cars,ships, buildings, and structures of various kinds; but has referencemore particularly to cars and ships in which, from the nature of thecase, the available floor space and height are limited.

This application is based upon and constitutes a division of onefiled byme November 2, 1886, and designated by Serial No. 217,832, wherein areset forth more in detail the principles and mode of operation of myapparatus, these present inventions constituting improvements upon thosefor which Letters Patent of the United States were issued to me bearingdate November 4, 1884, No. 307,459; July 21, 1885, No. 822,446; andOctober 20, 1885, No. 328,483.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection of a structure embodying my improvements; Fig.2, a similar Viewshowing a railway-car constructed in accordance with my invention, butwith a chamber filled with ice instead of refrigerating-coils of pipe,as in the first figure; Fig. 3, a horizontal section of Fig. 2; Fig. 4,a vertical transverse section of the same.

In its general plan this improvement resembles closely that set forth inthe patents and applications above mentioned-that is to say, there is acooling and purifying chamber, A, a storage-chamber, B, at the sidethereof, and a secondary ceiling,O, within the storagechamber, formingbetween it and the main ceiling a flue, f, having openings 1 and h atits ends for entrance of air,s'aid flue communieating with the top ofthe cooling and purifying chamber A. It will be noticed, however, that Iemploy one cooling-chamber for two storage-chambers,placing the formerbetween. the latter, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

When ice is to be used in chamber A, a grated or slatted bottom isprovided for said chamber to support the ice,and I also provide a due,a, or series of such flues extending beneath the chamber A and openinginto both the chambers B, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Ahorizontal partition or diaphragm, I, forms the bottom of fine or fluesa, and is itself raised from the floor of the structure to form a secondflue or series of fiues, b, communicating by a central opening orpassage, 0, with fiue or fiues a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

J and K indicate valves applied to the mouths of flue or fiues a, bywhich said mouths may be opened and closed at will, so that the cool airfrom chamberA may be permitted to flow directly out at said months intothe chambers B B, or caused to descend through central passage, 0, intothe fines b, which open into or are continued to form flues d, extendingfrom chamber A to the farther sides of storageehambers B B. These fiuescl are conveniently formed by placing joists on edge at suitabledistances apart, the joists being held in position by transverse boardsor slats e, which are close enough together to form afioor upon which toplace the goods to be stored, but which are yet far enough apart topermit the cool air to rise between them and thus to pass up through thefloor at all points. This feature, which is claimed in the otherapplication before mentioned, is important because it enables me todistribute the cool air equally over all parts of both chambers 13 B.

. The outer ends of the fines d are curved, as shown in Figs.- 1 and 2,where they join the vertical walls of chambers B B, for the purpose ofturning the air-current upward and causing a regular flow withoutstoppage and without the formation of eddies, which are inevitable wherethe air strikes squarely or abruptly against an obstructing surface orbody. In Fig. l I have represented a series of pipes, L, within thechamber A, which pipes are intended to be supplied with brine or otherliquid not readilycongealable,or with gasorairpreviously compressed,which,expanding within the pipes, takes up the heat of chamberA, according to the well-known law of compressed fluids.

In said Fig. 1 I have represented a reservoir or holder, M, forcontaininga supply of compressed gas or air for the pipes L, this beinga well-known apparatus, to which in itself, or broadly considered, noclaim is made by me;

nor is it essential that this be adopted, as the pipes may connect withany of the mechanical or chemical plants now commonly employed forice-making or refrigeration.

It will be observed that the pipes occupy practically the entire spaceof chamber A from top to bottom, and that the walls of said chamber arebrought close to the pipes, these provisions being made to insure aslong a travel of the air over and about the pipes as practicable, and tocompel the air to travel in close contact therewith.

The outer walls of the structure, whatever it may be-building, car,ship, or otherwill preferably be made practically non-conducting, inorder that the temperature within may not be materially affected by thatwithout.

A ventilator, 7;, is provided at the top of chamber A, and a trappedpipe, 0, at the bottom thereof, the latter to permit the escape of waterdue to condensation of moisture, and, in case ice be used, to themelting of the ice also.

The location of the cooling-chamber A between the two storage-chambers BI; is a matter of much importance, for the reason thatit not onlycheapens and simplifies construction but it precludes the meeting andinterference of currents at the middle of the structure, which resultfrom the use of two chambers at opposite ends or sides thereof, andbecause by this arrangement the cooling chamber is brought sufiicicutlyclose to the outer walls of both chambers to insure a thorough circulation of the air and its travel to the farthest limits of thestorage-chambers.

To prevent the outside atmosphere from unduly alfectingthe atmospherewithin the storage-chambers,l provide an outside sheathing, 1, Figs. 2,3, and l,which is set away from the face of the main walls sufficientlyto leave an airspace throughout between said sheathing and walls,openings 1' andj being left for the entrance of air at the bottom andtop of the sides, and an opening, In, at or near the middle of the top,for the escape of the air from beneath the outer sheathing of the roof.

Owing to the exposure of the top of the structture to the more directrays of the sun, that portion is of con rse heated more than the sides,and the air immediately under the top sheath ing, as also that under theside sheathing, becomes heated more than the surrounding atmosphere, andconsequently rises and passes out through the openings j and k. In thisway a constant circulation of air is kept up, which effectually preventsthe walls from becoming highly heated, and consequently greatlyincreases the efficiency of the apparatus.

In Figs. 2, 3, and4= I have illustrated the invention as embodied in arailway-canto which, in this form, it is peculiarly adapted,while inFig. 1 I have represented merely a rectangular structure,which may be astationary building, a ear-body, a vessel, or any other structure. Thepipes may run horizontally from end to end of the chamber A, asindicated, or they may run vertically, obliquely, or in any otherdirection desired.

It will be seen that a greater number of storage-chambers than two maycommunicate with one and the same cooling-chamber, the inventionincluding any and all arrangements in which the cooling-chamber iscentrally located relatively to the storagechambers.

It is obvious that any equivalent expansion chamber, box, or body may besubstituted for the pipes in chamber A, and I wish it understood thatwherever pipes are spoken of such equivalents are to be understood asincluded.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combinationwith central coolingchamber, A, and storage-chambers B B, flue a belowthe cooling-chamber A, provided with valves J K, and flue b beneath fluea and communicating therewith by passage 0.

2. In combination with central coolingchamber, A, and storage-chambers BB, flues a beneath chamber A, fine I) beneath flue a, valves J K,applied to flues a, passage c,eonnccting said flues, iiues d,eonnectingwith lines 1:, and grated or open floor 6 over flues d, allsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH F. IIANRAH A N.

\Vitnesses:

\VILLIAMI W. Dom; u, \VAL'IER S. Donna.

